स्वAR

As the sun sets and the monsoon clouds gather over Mumbai, a certain buzz invades St. Xavier’s College. Malhar unleashes a colorful tide of creativity, talent, camaraderie, and competition that undulates across the historic campus and the city at large. Looking back over the last decade, there are some moments that truly embody the spirit of Malhar. Here are ten moments that, from 2012 to 2022, have etched an indelible mark on the history of this much-loved festival.

2012: “Malhar Local” makes a ‘Big Bang’ entrance

Malhar teamed up with Zee Cafe to occupy the audience’s mind share with a lot of ‘Bazinga’ and excitement. To celebrate the release of season 5 of The Big Bang Theory, Malhar and Zee organized a unique event. Participants were challenged to solve a block puzzle based on one of the most adored characters, Sheldon Cooper. 

2013: “Zara Hatke” takes us on a journey through dreamland

When the theme itself is a phrase that encourages people to think outside the box and try something new, rest assured that the events were unlike any other. An art exhibition titled “Into the Dark” innovatively portrayed the story of a boy and his dreams. Bringing alive the abstract and intimate nature of dreams onto a canvas with only brushstrokes, a sense of wonder engulfed the exhibit.

2014: “A Renaissance” creates reverberations of counter culture

The era of revival in the new age can best be seen through movies. Films shape us into the people we are, crafting our notions of love and heartbreak and normality. Against this backdrop, the screening of the film Aankhon Dekhi followed by an interactive discussion with director and actor Rajat Kapoor left a resounding impact on all guests, making it clear that India is moving ahead.

2015: “Malhar: A Chronicle” serves as platform for thousands

Voicing their untold stories gives people a chance to connect with others, to form bonds that transcend superficial barriers. With this as its guiding ethos, the WPA event “Retrograde” saw students depicting themes from surviving natural disasters to embracing one’s sexuality to saving marriages. They showed us that dance can be as affecting as it is entertaining.

2016: “The Junction: Raaste Kayi Manzil Nayi” brings the noise

As always, musical events reign the heart of the crowd, and nowhere did that happen as grandly as Malhar 2016. An instrumental fusion performance called “Infusion” saw performers rendering Western tunes to Indian compositions and vice versa. It was no surprise to see the audience awestruck upon hearing Celine Dion’s iconic “My Heart Will Go On” being played on a shehnai and sitar. 

2017: “Upside Down: Ek Atrangi Andaaz” sparks conversations beyond the podium

One of the most awaited talks of Conclave was delivered by Piyush Goyal who urged the youth to be masters of their destiny. Olympian Viren Rasquinha, aerospace engineer Ankit Mehta, and professor Avinash Kumar encouraged students to be unafraid. Lastly, a panel by Makarand Deshpande, Homi Adjania and Shabana Azmi prompted audiences to add a little drama to their life.

2018: “A Time Turner” adds mystery and mysticism

Malhar Concert is everyone’s favorite part, and 2018 surpassed expectations. Neeraj Arya’s Kabir Cafe, a neo-folk fusion band that plays poetry, mixed contemporary genres of rock, reggae, pop and Ccarnatic music. Similarly, the F16s, an electro-indie band, drove into the dance floor with electronica influences ranging from trip hop to dubstep.

2019: “The Multiverse: A Nexus of Possibilities” gets people off their chairs

If there’s one word to define Malhar, it’s “diverse”. Workshops were eclectic and vast in their offerings, catering to a broad crowd. Terrence Lewis’ dance workshop had the entire Hall on its feet, jumping and jiving to contemporary numbers. (Even those with two left feet couldn’t resist joining in the fun.) Dessert making, fashion styling and tea tasting were also popular. 

2021: “Parallax: The Legacy Re-routed” nudges participants to question reality

Not letting the pandemic dull its shine, Malhar 2021 was full of unexpected twists and turns. What happens when you throw Harley Quinn and the Wizard of Oz into a dystopia? “A Tale of Two Tales” combined various elements of fiction and made them meet at the Parallax, wherein participants had to come up with an extempore dialogue on distinct prompts. 

2022: “Aurora: Transcending Horizons” proves that rap is poetry

Rapping along to Eminen and Kendrick Lamar is a lot easier than actually writing and performing an original song. “Diss Is It” was the perfect blend of creativity, wit and sharpness as teams in pairs of two roasted each other, all while never missing a beat. The groovy tune, catchy chorus, and infectious dance moves had the audience up in arms throughout. 

These moments capture the evolution of Malhar, each year building on the last, always innovating and expanding in its ambition. As we anticipate the magic (and mayhem) of 2023, we pay tribute to these defining moments, and to every student who has been a part of the Malhar journey. Here’s to the years gone by, and to the many more to come!